2023 NAACP Image Awards: 5 Things to Know About This Year’s Host Queen Latifah
It’s official. The 2023 NAACP Image Awards will be hosted by the actress, rapper, and “Godmother of Hip Hop,” Queen Latifah.
Born Dana Elaine Owens, Latifah began her career at 19 with the release of her debut album, All Hail the Queen. She has starred in over a dozen films and twice as many television appearances, including the hit sitcom Living Single.
At this year’s ceremony, Latifah is nominated at this year’s ceremony for “Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series” for her performance in CBS’s The Equalizer. She’s up against several onscreen queens, including Zendaya, Rutina Wesley, Brandee Evans, and Academy Award-winning actress Angela Bassett. Get to know your host and nominee better with these five interesting facts ahead of this year’s celebration.
Her debut effort was a massive success
The multi-talented entertainer released her first album, All Hail to the Queen, on November 7, 1989. The effort spawned one of Latifah’s multiple signature records, including the feminist anthem, "Ladies First,” featuring Monie Love. The album peaked at no. 6 on the Billboard Top Hip Hop/R&B Albums chart and featured several legendary acts, including De La Soul and KRS-One.
She wrote her first rhymes to LL Cool J’s “I Need a Beat.”
During a virtual conversation with Latifah and LL Cool J, hosted by South by Southwest, the female emcee revealed she usually beat-boxed for her first rap group. Still, when she was ready to kick a few rhymes, she’d put on an LL Cool J instrumental because “he was the bar.”
She fell in love with acting in the ninth grade.
While talking to US Weekly, the entertainment icon shared, “The acting bug bit me when I performed in Godspell in the ninth grade.”
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She’s historic
In 2006, she became the first hip-hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She used her platform to bring awareness to serious issues regarding women
In 1993, Latifah released her third studio album Black Reign. The track would forever cement itself as a classic record that brought awareness of mistreatment and violence against women and the objectification of Black female sexuality. In addition, the music video for the record has over 18 million views on YouTube.
Watch the NAACP Image Awards live on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at 8:00 pm ET/PT on BET.